China is home to more than 240 million elderly people, and the number continues to grow. This has led to overcrowded nursing homes, placing extra demand on caregivers. China's industry for looking after the elderly is still in the early stages of its development. 

Many of those who graduate with a major in elderly care choose not to pursue a career in the field, often due to pressure from family. The job is often low-paying and lacks social status.

Twenty-eight-year-old Qi Shuangyue is one of the few who chose to pursue a career in taking care of the elderly. She's worked at a nursing home for almost six years. She said some of her classmates' families think it's more respectable to be a nurse in the hospital, but the two jobs are basically the same for her. She thinks they are just doing different parts of the same job.

Born in 1994, Ai Jin started his career in Golden Heights despite adamant opposition from his family. His parents wanted him to find a "decent" job like working at a bank, but he refused. He says taking care of old people gives him a sense of fulfillment and happiness.  

Ai told CGTN that there are less than 10 caregivers in the nursing home now, and he is the only male caregiver. Young caregivers from the post-90s generation are around the same age as the grandchildren of those in nursing homes.

Chen Baohui, the vice president of Golden Heights said the post-90s caregivers offer hope for the elderly care industry. Currently, almost every institution is short of young staff. This generation is more creative and energetic, which is conducive to the development of nursing work and the improvement of its quality. He hopes the social status and salaries of caregivers can be improved. 

For young staff members, another gain from working here is they have cultivated a healthier lifestyle by following the daily routine of elders, such as sleeping earlier and getting up earlier. And they also gain a different view of the world by talking with elders, learning how hard life was in the past decades of China, so that they will cherish their life more. Ai Jin and Shuangyue both said the emotional bonds they've forged with their elderly friends would keep them working here for a long time.